Synopsis
The environment plays a critical role as a source for the emergence of pathogens and in the manifestation, course, and prognosis of human and animal diseases. Bacteria survive in a host of environmental niches such as soil, surface waters, and plants, and in humans. In each of these niches, environmental factors eg. physiological characteristics, temperature and humidity are critical. In the host, the pathogen is faced with the same ordeal of having to cope with the host physiological parameters as well as the immune system. In order to initiate pathogenesis, a bacterium must enter, attach, colonise, multiply and spread. Important questions directed throughout the course of research include: Is the environment a source for some of the pathogens addressed? What are the factors that favour survival of the pathogen in the environment and in the host and where are the occult foci in the host? What are the bacterial proteins that aid the bacterium to invade and survive?

More recently, with the availability of the human genome, on the horizon is a new era of molecular medicine characterized less by treating symptoms and more by looking to the most fundamental causes of disease. Questions have been directed to two diseases, familial hypercholesterolemia and diabetes mellitus. What are the gene polymorphisms that have occurred within our diverse population in Malaysia among genes for both these diseases? From this information can we target personalized medicine to individuals?